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Apply for funding
How to apply?
See below full information on our research strategy, funding criteria and application deadlines. To apply for our funding, please download our application form, complete and submit by email to research@debra.org.uk.
You can also sign up to our researchers database to be kept informed of future research funding and other opportunities.
If you wish to discuss your proposed research area in advance of submission, please contact Dr Sagair Hussain, Director of Research: Sagair.Hussain@debra.org.uk.
Summary of research strategy and application process
DEBRA UK wants to fund you to help create a world where no one suffers with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). This painful and life-limiting condition affects many major organs of the body, including skin, eyes, kidneys, gastrointestinal and urinary tracts, causing painful blistering, scarring and increased risk of skin cancer. We fund research on all of the four genetic types of EB and encourage applications from researchers working on EBS where there is an unmet need.
Download our research strategy
Our research funding is awarded through a rigorous process including experts by experience and scientific experts and is supported through our membership of the AMRC.
Applicants may also choose to attend our Applications Clinic to involve people living with EB in the design of their application.
Our four overarching EB research priorities are those we view most likely to deliver outputs for people living with EB:
Can your work on EB, eczema, psoriasis, skin cancer or other skin conditions contribute to developing a treatment pipeline to slow, stop and/or reverse EB? We will fund work to identify and select candidate repurposed drugs for clinical trials.
Can your research on eye/dental health, podiatry, skin care, nutrition or other relevant areas be translated into interventions that benefit patients? We will fund multidisciplinary translational research.
Are you researching the drivers of EB, the relationship between genes and proteins, the role of the immune system and the progression of cancer within EB? We will fund work to understand the causes of EB.
Are you building a strong community of highly trained, innovative researchers into EB or moving from another field into EB research? We will fund PhD students and career development fellowships.
DEBRA UK funding criteria
Our key criteria will be:
- scientific and treatment potential in relation to EB.
- applications must have clear aims and objectives to advance scientific understanding of EB and therapeutic interventions.
- projects must be feasible and achievable in the stated time period, as funding cannot be extended.
- applications will not be accepted by DEBRA UK from principal investigators who were awarded our project grant funding in the previous year as a PI.
- only one application per DEBRA UK grant type will be considered from each principal investigator.
We also co-fund research with other charity partners.
We offer the following funding opportunities:
DEBRA UK small grants call is open for UK and international applications on 01 February 2025 with a deadline of 31 March 2025.
DEBRA UK small grant awards of up to £15,000 are offered to national and international clinical or research scientists to support small pilot studies such as generation of preliminary data or feasibility studies which would not normally attract funding. The aim is to make larger follow up funding grants more competitive.
- 2023 success rate: 100%
- 2024 success rate: 17%
Fight for Sight/DEBRA UK small grants call: TBC 2025.
We have partnered with Fight for Sight to offer a small grant up to £15,000 to UK clinical or research scientists to support vision loss related research in epidermolysis bullosa. This should be used to collect preliminary/pilot data to develop follow on applications. Researchers currently working in fields outside of vision research are welcome to apply.
Find out more from Fight for Sight
DEBRA UK project grant call is open on 1 February 2025 with a deadline of 31 March 2025.
DEBRA UK project grants of up to £200,000 for 2-3 years are offered to UK and international researchers through our research calls. Funding will be judged on relevance to EB, scientific merit and novelty. Applicants must demonstrate the potential benefit to EB patients in the research proposal. Only one application per grant call will be considered from each principal investigator.
- 2023 success rate: 28%
- 2024 success rate: 14%
Action Medical Research for Children/DEBRA co-funded project grant call open 1 December 2024 with a deadline for outline applications of 11 February 2025.
Applications may be made by UK researchers for project grants of up to £200,000 and up to three years duration.
Apply for project grant funding from Action Medical Research.
DEBRA UK non-clinical PhD studentship call for UK and international applications is open on 1 February 2025 with a deadline of 31 March 2025.
Non-clinical DEBRA UK PhD studentships of up to £140,000 for four years (including consumables for the first 3.5 years only to allow a six month period for students to complete the write up of their thesis) will be available to UK researchers through our research calls. Funding will be judged on relevance to EB, scientific merit and novelty. Applicants must demonstrate the potential benefit to EB patients in the research proposal. Only one application per grant call will be considered from each principal investigator.
- 2023 success rate: 67%
- 2024 success rate: 75%
MRC/DEBRA UK Clinical Research Training Fellowships call is open in 2025 (UK only)
PhD grant awards for 3-year projects to develop UK clinicians into EB researchers. The criteria will be the same as for project grants with the addition of quality of research environment and training for students.
Application is through the MRC Website, where you can also find guidance on the application process. If you wish to discuss your proposed research area in advance of submission, please contact Dr Sagair Hussain, Director of Research.
MRC/DEBRA UK Clinician Scientist Fellowship call is open in February 2025 with a deadline in April 2025 (UK only).
5 year awards for UK registered healthcare professionals to establish themselves as independent investigators to run their own group and develop their own research interest in EB. The aim is to create future leaders in the EB field. In partnership with the Medical Research Council (MRC).
Application is through the MRC Website where you can also find guidance on the application process.
MRC/DEBRA UK Career Development Awards call is open in January 2025 with a deadline in April 2025 (UK only)
5 year awards to support UK post-doctoral researchers at early and intermediate stages of their career to establish themselves as independent investigators to run their own group and develop their own research interest in EB. The aim is to create future leaders in the EB field. In partnership with the Medical Research Council (MRC).
Application is through the MRC Website, where you can also find guidance on the application process.
If you wish to discuss your proposed research area in advance of submission, please contact Dr Sagair Hussain, Director of Research.
Funding application deadlines 2025
DEBRA UK small grants (UK and international):
- Apply from: 01 Feb 2025
- Last application: 31 Mar 2025
- Awarded: Nov 2025
Fight for Sight/DEBRA UK (UK only):
- Apply from: TBC 2025
- Last application: TBC 2025
- Awarded: TBC 2025
DEBRA UK project grants (UK and international):
- Apply from: 01 Feb 2025
- Last application: 31 Mar 2025
- Awarded: Nov 2025
Action Medical Research for Children/DEBRA UK (UK only):
- Apply from: 01 Dec 2024
- Last application: 11 Feb 2025
- Awarded: by Action Medical Research for Children Dec 2025 / Jan 2026
DEBRA UK non-clinical PhD studentships (UK and international):
- Apply from: 01 Feb 2025
- Last application: 31 Mar 2025
- Awarded: Nov 2025
MRC/DEBRA clinical research training fellowships (UK only):
- Apply from: TBC 2025
- Last application: TBC 2025
- Awarded: By MRC
MRC/DEBRA clinician scientist fellowships:
- Apply from: Feb 2025
- Last application: Apr 2025
- Awarded: By MRC
MRC/DEBRA career development award:
- Apply from: Jan 2025
- Last application: Apr 2025
- Awarded: By MRC
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